Disc golf target

• US 6,250,635 B1
• Filed: 05/24/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fred Chittenden
• Original Assignee: Fred Chittenden
• Inventors: Chittenden, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US09/317,352
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 473/400, 473/398, 473/401, 473/476, 473/479
• US Class Current: 273/400
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2067/061 Means to mark out tossing area
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/06 Ring or disc tossing games , e.g. quoits; Throwing or tossing games, e.g. using balls; Games for manually rolling balls, e.g. marbles

Abstract

A disc golf target assembly. A plurality of curved support members and chain segments cooperate to intercept flying discs which enter the target. The curved support members deflect and disturb the flight path of the disc and reduce the momentum thereof. The chain segments arrest forward motion of the disc, and the disc drops into an underlying receiving area. The receiving area may be a basket structure mounted below the interception structure. The assembly may further include a raised stand structure. The curved support members may be elongate tubular members which extend over the receiving area. The support members may be arched outwardly or inwardly over the receiving area, and may be convertible between conf igurations. The support members and chain segments may also be selectively configured to give the target a directional bias, so that it more readily receives discs from one direction than from another.

Claims

1. A disc golf target assembly, comprising:

a disc interception structure for arresting a flying disc; and

a disc receiving area positioned below said disc interception structure for holding a disc which has been arrested by said interception structure;

said disc interception structure comprising;

at least one curved support member that extends upwardly primarily in a vertical direction for upsetting the flight of a disc from a primarily horizontal orientation to a primarily vertical orientation, so as to reduce momentum of a disc in response to a disc striking said curved support member; and

at least one chain segment suspended from said curved support member for arresting forward motion of a disc in response to a disc striking said chain segment;

so that said chain segment and said curved support member cooperate to intercept a disc so that a disc falls from said interception structure into said receiving area.

2. The target assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one curved support member comprises:

a plurality of elongate support members which extend generally upwardly above said receiving area.

3. The target assembly of claim 2, wherein said plurality of elongate support members comprises a plurality of tubular support members.

4. The target assembly of claim 2, wherein said plurality of curved support members comprise:

upper end portions of said elongate support members which arch over said receiving area of said assembly.

5. The target assembly of claim 4, wherein said at least one chain segment comprises:

a plurality of chain segments having upper ends which are mounted to said upper end portions of said support members and extend downwardly therefrom towards said receiving area.

6. The target assembly of claim 5, wherein said upper end portions of said elongate support members are inwardly arched over said receiving area.

7. The target assembly of claim 5, wherein said upper end portions of said elongate support members are outwardly arched over said receiving area.

8. The target assembly of claim 5, wherein said interception structure is convertible from a first configuration in which said upper end portions of said elongate support members are inwardly arched over said receiving area, to a second configuration in which said elongate support members are outwardly arched over said receiving area.

9. The target assembly of claim 6, wherein said plurality of chain segments comprises:

a plurality of chain segments having upper ends mounted in a row to an inwardly arched upper end of at least one of said curved support members so as to form a screen section which extends downwardly therefrom for intercepting a flying disc in said assembly.

10. The target assembly of claim 9, wherein at least one of said plurality of support members is free from having a screen section mounted thereto, so that said interception structure will preferentially intercept flying discs from at least one predetermined direction.

11. The target assembly of claim 9, wherein said receiving area comprises:

a basket structure having an a capture area for receiving discs therein and an upper rim which extends around said capture area.

12. The target assembly of claim 11, wherein said plurality of curved support members further comprises:

a plurality of lower end portions of said support members which are mounted at spaced locations around said upper rim of said basket structure.

13. The target assembly of claim 12, further comprising:

a connector for joining said inwardly arched upper end portions of said support members over said receiving area.

14. The target assembly of claim 7, wherein said interception structure further comprises:

an upper ring member which is mounted to said outwardly arched upper end portions of said elongate support members.

15. The target assembly of claim 14, wherein said plurality of chain segments comprises:

a plurality of chain segments having upper ends mounted at spaced locations to said upper ring member of said interception structure and which extend downwardly around said support members for intercepting a flying disc in said assembly.

16. The target assembly of claim 15, wherein said plurality of chain segments have lower ends which bow inwardly towards lower end portions of said support members.

17. The target assembly of claim 16, wherein said interception structure further comprises:

a means for retaining lower ends of said plurality of chain segments around said lower end portions of said support members.

18. The target assembly of claim 17, wherein said interception structure further comprises:

at least one flexible, generally horizontal ring member surrounding said support members and mounted to said plurality of chain segments between said upper and lower ends thereof.

19. The target assembly of claim 15, further comprising:

a vertically extending pillar tube having an open upper end in which lower end portions of said curved support members are received and retained.

20. The target assembly of claim 1, further comprising a base structure for supporting said interception structure and receiving area above ground level.